Fluid-pressure brake.



PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

M. F. VOLKMANN.

- FLUID PRESSURE BRAKE.

No. 803,943. PATENTED NOV. 7, 1905.

M. E. VOLKMANN.

FLUID PRESSURE BRAKE. APPLICATION FILED APR. ze, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Milf? Z ATTORNEYS UNITED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

FLUID-PRESSURE BRAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1905.

Application filed April 26, 1905. Serial No. 257,493.

T0 a/ZZ 1.071.011?, t may concern: p

Be it known that I, MARTIN FREDERICK VOLKMANN, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Santa Monica,in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Fluid-Pressure Brake, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to fluid pressure brakes of the Westinghouse type; and its object is to provide a new and improved fluidpressure brake arranged to permit the engineer to directly control the retaining-valves with a view to recharging the auxiliary reservoirs without first releasing the brakes and to allow of increasing the pressure in the brake-cylinders after the auxiliary reservoirs are recharged.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement, parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the engineers auxiliary valve. Fig. 3 is a sectional side eleva- 'tion of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig.

4 is a sectional plan view of the same on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the valve-plug for the engineers auxiliary valve, the section being on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional side elevation of the check-valve in the connection between the engineers auxiliary valve and the train-pipe, and Figs. 7 and 8 are reduced plan views of the engineers auxiliary valve in different positions.

The main reservoir A on the locomotive is connected by a pipe B with the engineers valve C, connected by a pipe I) with the equalizing-reservoir E. From the engineers valve C leads a train-pipe F, connected with a triple valve G, having the usual connections with the auxiliary reservoir H and the brake-cylinder I.

The parts so far described are of the usual construction, so that further description of the same is not deemed necessary.

The pipe B, connecting the main reservoir Awith the engineers valve C, is connected by a branch pipe B with the engineers auxiliary valve J, arranged in the cab of the locomotive adjacent to the engineers valve C, so that both valves C and J are within convenient reach of the engineer. The engineers auxiliary valve J is connected by a pipe L, having a check-valve L, with the train-pipe F and by a pipe N with the retaining-valve O, connected by a pipe P with the usual exhaust cavity in the triple valve G, so that the brake-cylinder I can exhaust by way of the pipe P and the port a in the retainingvalve O to the atmosphere, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1. When, however, pressure is sent by way of the main reservoir A, pipe B, branch pipe B, engineers auxiliary valve J, and pipe N into the retaining-valve O, then the exhaustport a is closed by a piston O, moved upward by the entering pressure, so that the pressure from the brake-cylinder I cannot exhaust for the time being. The piston O has its piston-rod O2 connected with a piston O3, pressed on by a spring O4, so as to normally hold the pistons O3 and O in a lowermost position to allow the exhaust from the triple valve G to pass out by way of the port a. The stem O5 for the piston O3 is provided with a shoulder O6, adapted to butt against the cap O7 of the casing O8 of the retainingvalve O to limit the upward movement of the pistons O and O3-that is, to hold the piston O in position over the port a to close the same. The engineers auxiliary valve J is also connected by a pipe Q with the pipe D, leading from the equalizing-reservoir E to the engineers valve C, and in the said pipe Q is arranged a cut-ofi valve Q and a checkvalve Q2, similar to the check-valve L', (see Fig. 6,) and arranged to prevent the flow of air-pressure from the equalizing-reservoir E to the engineers auxiliary valve J at the time the latter is in its normal position, as shown in Fig. l.

The engineers auxiliary valve J is provided with a valve-casing J and a valveplug J2, `carrying on its stem J3 a handle J4 under the control of the engineer, and in the under side of the valve-plug J 2 is arranged a channel or recess I), having a number of radial branches c, d, @,f, and g, (see Fig. 5,) and in the valve-casing J is formed an exhaustport 7L, leading to the atmosphere, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) and in the said casing J are also formed ports i, y', c, and Z, adapted to be connected with the channel by its branches, as hereinafter more fully described. The ports IOO IIO

i, j, 7c, and Zlead to the pipes B, N, L, and Q, respectively, and when the handle J4 is in the normal position l (shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3) then the branches d andf only are in register with the ports and h to connect the pipe N with the atmosphere. l/Vhen the handle J4 is moved by the engineer from its normal position l to position 2 (see Fig. 7) with a view to recharge the auxiliary reservoir H, then the branche registers with the port i, the branch c registers with the port j, the branch registers with the port c, and the branch g registers with the port Z. Vhen the handle J4 is turned by the engineer to the position 3 (see Fig. 8) with a view to increase the pressure in the brake-cylinder I, then the branch d registers with the port e' and the branchf registers with the port y' to connect the pipes B and N with each other, the remaining ports then being cut out..

The operation is as follows: ln order to apply or release the brakes, the engineer in charge manipulates the engineers valve C in the usual manner. Now when the train is, say, running downgrade and the brakes are applied and it is desired to recharge the auxiliary reservoir H without requiring a temporary release of the brakes then the engineer moves the handle J4 of the auxiliary valve J to position 2 (see Fig. 7) to establish communication between the pipes B and N by way of the channel b, its branches c and, e, and the ports i and to permit air-pressure to actuate the retaining-valve with a view to close the exhaust-port a. At the same time the pressure in the channel b passes by way of the branchf and port 7c into the pipe L and opens the valve L, as the pressure from the main reservoir is greater than that of the trainpipe F, in which the air-pressure was reduced on applying the brakes. At the same time pressure flows into the pipe Q and into the equalizing-reservoir E. Now it is evident that the air-pressure flowing through the pipe L passes into the train-pipe F and by way of the triple valve G into the auxiliary reservoir H to recharge the'same. The pressure in the pipes N and L and equaliZing-reservoir E is now practically equal. After the auxiliary reservoir is recharged and it is desired by the engineer to apply the brakes with greater pressure then he moves the handle J4 to the position 3, (see Fig. 8,) whereby the pipes L and Q are cut out from the main-reservoir pressure, but the latter is maintained in the pipe N by way of the branches d andy" and ports i and j. The engineer then moves the engineers valve C to service-stop position to exhaust air 'from the train-pipe F to shift the triple valve G to allow the main-reservoir pressure to pass from the auxiliary reservoir H into the brake-cylinder l. The valve C is returned to original lap position as soon as a suflicient quantity of air has been exhausted from the train-pipe for shifting haust-port h to allow the air to exhaust Jfrom the pipe N to reduce the pressure against the under side of the piston O. The spring O4 now returns the piston O O3 to normal position-that is, the port a is opened and air from the brake-cylinder I can now exhaust by way of the triple valve G, pipe P, and the retaining-valve O. Y

lt is understood that the check-valve L in the pipe L prevents the air-pressure from flowing vfrom the train-pipe F through the pipe L at the time the brakes are applied, and the engineer recharges the auxiliary reservoir H, as otherwise a greater reduction of pressure in the train-pipe would take place and the brakes would be set harder than desired-that is, the reduction in the trainpipe might reach an emergency application.

)When the pressure in the train-pipe F is reduced while the auxiliary valve J is in recharging position, as above explained, and the pressure in the pipe B and channel b is greater than that in the train-pipe F and pipe L, air would flow through the pipe L into the train-pipe F and exhaust by way of the usual exhaust in the engineers valve C, and in order to prevent such waste of pressure the auxiliary valve J is moved into position 3, as above described.

When the brakes are applied and the engineers valve C is in lap position, then airpressure in' the train-pipe F is prevented from escaping by way of the engineers valve C. /Vhen the auxiliary reservoir is recharged by the engineer manipulating the auxiliary valve J, as above described, and the handle J4 is Vmoved to position 2, then communication is had between the main reservoir and the equaliZing-drum E by way of the auxiliary valve J and pipe Q to hold the piston of the engineers valve C in such position that the exhaust-valve for the exhaustport in the engineers valve C is held closed. .lf the equaliZing-reservoir pressure were not reinforced vfrom the main reservoir, as described and for the purpose mentioned, the pressure in the train-pipe Would raise the piston in the engineers valve and the exhaust-valve would open and the air would escape from the train-pipe. l

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A fluid-pressure brake provided with a retaining-valve for retaining the pressure in the brake-cylinder, and an engineers auxiliary valve, under the control of the engineer and connected with the main reservoir and IIO ' the said retaining-valve7 to move the latter into a retaining position, the said engineers auxiliary valve having an outlet to the atmosphere, for allowing the retaining-valve to move into an exhaust position for the pressure to escape from the brake-cylinder, and a valve connection between the engineers auxiliary valve and the equalizingreservoir.

2. A fluid-pressure brake provided with a retaining-valve for retaining the pressure in the brake-cylinder, an engineers auxiliary valve, under the control of the engineer and connected with the main reservoir and the said retaining-valve, to move the latter into a retaining positionl a valved connection between the said engineer s auxiliary valve and the train-pipe, to recharge the auxiliary res ervoir while the brakes are set and the retaining-valve is in a retaining position7 and a valved connection between the said engineers auxiliary valve and the equalizingreservoir.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this speeiication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MARTIN FREDERICK VOLKMANN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE FRANCIS DoTY, T.-J. TowNsEND. 

